Many thousands of computer programs and applications are available for installation on modern-day computing devices, such as the personal computer. Unfortunately, a user of a computing device may be unable to determine whether an application will impact the security (e.g., the vulnerability to malware and other exploits) of the computing device when deciding whether to install, update, or keep the application on the computing device.
Users may turn to security vendors for information on how an application may impact the security of a computing device. Unfortunately, security vendors may not always discover exploits in applications before malicious actors do, leaving users vulnerable to zero-day exploits. On the other hand, some potential exploits in applications may be mostly theoretical and pose little actual threat to computer security. In these cases, users may not always wish to remove these applications.
In the absence of reliable information, users may not learn of the negative impact of an application until after a vulnerability caused by the application has already been exploited. Unfortunately, in some instances the negative effects of an application on a computing device may not be easily reversible.
Accordingly, the instant disclosure identifies and addresses a need for additional and improved systems and methods for determining potential impacts of applications on the security of computing systems.